In 1966, production began on the successor to the Wartburg 312, a
car valued by its users but already clearly outdated. In Germany, the
new model was initially called “Der neue 1000”; its designation 353 only
came into official use later. Beneath the new bodywork were outdated solutions
from the previous generation: a load-bearing frame and a two-stroke engine producing
45 hp. The flat floor and angular body provided a spacious interior.
In the better-equipped de Luxe version, the front seat backrests could be
folded completely flat to create sleeping places. As was traditional for Eisenach
products, an estate version called the Tourist also entered production. Small numbers
of the Trans pickup were produced in the 1980s. In 1970–71, a
series of 8 “off-road” Wartburgs, type 353/400, was also built with an
open polyester body and even the ability to float. In 1975, the
353W version was introduced to meet new safety requirements. From 1982, the
radiator grille, headlight surrounds and bumpers were painted black. The final modernisation
came in late 1984: the Wartburg 353S received larger headlights built into
an integrated front panel and a spoiler with mounting points for fog
lights. The radiator was moved in front of the engine. At the
customer’s request, the gear lever could be mounted on the floor instead
of beside the steering wheel. In 1988, the Wartburg 1.3 was introduced
with a four-stroke engine supplied by Volkswagen. The last car bearing the
Wartburg badge left the Eisenach factory assembly line on 10 April 1991.
Number of seats: 5
Number of doors: 5
Power: 50 HP, 58 HP
Engine displacement: 993 cm3, 1272 cm3
Number of cylinders 4
Transmission: Manual
Front-wheel drive
